Tuesday, 31 July 2012

CHARLTON HESTON MEMORIAL POOL

There’s no phone number. You
have to email better.org.uk if you have a query or if you want to book in
advance. Yes, book in advance, you read that right; it seems odd to me.

It’s a little
known fact that Charlton was named after Charlton Heston, hence the large golden
chariot statue in the shopping centre, and their on-going commitment to gun
crime, or ‘homage crime’ as they
call it round there.

Ha ha. Obviously
that’s a joke. They don’t have a shopping centre in Charlton.

It’s another
bloody miserable summer’s day in London, the grey skies pissing endless down on
us as we wend our way through the traffic of South East London. ‘We’ is me and
Kate, and Kate is lovely Kate from Tooting Lido* whose ability to withstand
cold water combined with superb baking skills make her a total catch. That's all my priorities, right there. Oh yea,
and she’s completely lovely, which counts too, I hear. (She's already caught, in case you were wondering and also, I'm not running some kind of water/cake-related dating service, however good an idea that is.) We hadn’t, see above, booked in advance. The pool is newly re-opened but we felt that the weather - great weather for swimming outdoors actually - would probably put most fools
off. Kate, being efficient, had
looked at the booking system and seen there were plenty of spaces left, so we
felt able to risk in. She did try to explain the system to me but as I can’t really
see the point of it I didn’t listen very intently; she works with
children so I think she recognised that 'I stopped listening look. (I'm sure there is a point to the online booking service, if Better** feel like adding a comment?)

There is a
history to this pool and from my reading of the local press it seems that it’s mostly
down to the perseverance of the Charlton Lido Swimming Club that the pool is in
operation at all. That doesn’t surprise me – we have a superb and active club at Tooting; good clubs seem to be the
vital link for places like this that don’t have the 'guaranteed revenue stream' of indoor pools. Cold pools are a bit niche, can’t think why. But guess what?
This one ain’t cold any more. They’ve only done the first phase of development,
which includes heating, improved changing facilities, a children's
splash pool and new parking. Some things on that list don’t speak to MY priorities but I wasn't in charge. The development will continue in autumn – the pool is open til the end
of September. But the point is: it’s open now. It’s 50metres.
It’s OUTDOORS. What more do you want? Let’s find out, shall we?

I’ve never felt
actually intimidated arriving at a pool before today. This one would be good
for filmmakers looking for an exterior 70s-style Borstal location. I half-expect Guy Ritchie to saunter round the corner any minute in a little tweed outfit. And I bet Sarah Lund loves hanging out here when it's dark, holding her torch up in that funny way. It's hard person territory. Only the vicious-looking
burglar-deterrent wire round the long, low exterior is shiny and new. The weather adds
to that slightly foreboding oppression. Mostly, it looks abandoned. We find the entrance, and a rickety metal security screen has been pulled over just far enough for us to get in. It feels like going into a derelict building, except a man charges us £6. That’s
steep, for derelict. That’s more than Marshall Street (here) which has the added bonus of vibes and a nearby Uniqlo.
Pushing through ancient turnstiles and avoiding indoor puddles, we get our
first glimpse of the pool. It’s 50m, as I said, half-laned and half free-range.
There is one person in each lane. A helpful guard tells me our session ends at
11.45 – our session? Yep, they do it in sessions, it’s all part of their weird
system – and points out various relevant areas. Changing cubicles are in two
measly rows down the side, the outdoor showers are just beyond them, and the
women’s loos are to the right. The changing cubicles are new, bright plastic blue and
green, their newness pin-sharp against the brick walls of this traditional 30’s
courtyard. They’ve been airlifted
in from a more affluent place. You’d recognise the municipal styling of the era
if you’ve ever been to Parliament Hill Lido (which I review here), even down to
the choice of blue. You’ll remember too (pay attention, there’s a quiz at the
end of this blog) that it’s an unadorned, slightly bleak style I like. There are two fountainy
things at one end, which they’ve tried to tart up with a couple of undersized
plants, the promised children’s splash pool is just visible beyond the pool
cover rolls.

We test out the
women’s loos first. That’s a mistake. They’re entirely in keeping with the
foreboding exterior. If their
theme is ‘abandoned’, they’ve thought of every last detail. It feels like squatting in a squat.
Broken and cracked, cold and damp. I’m fairly hardened to these things (I’ve
been to festivals) but I can’t imagine they will please the more particular
laydee. We go and change, glad that the cubicles have Perspex roofs on to protect
us from the relentless rain. We skip along a funny spongy strip that
separates paving from pool, and I hop gaily in. And sink straight down – ‘Oh! This
is the deep end!’ I tell Kate, as I bob up again. She points to a big painted
sign: DEEP END. It feels like the wrong way round though – normally, the
shallow end would be at the entrance, and the pool covers at the deep. Because
I’m a bit odd and regimented, this throws me slightly. I like to start and end
at the shallow end (I count my lengths in twos.) I know, it's all a bit on the spectrum … anyway,
let’s move on, with me on the back foot already.

My shoulder is
playing up, so I’m doing a lot of breaststroke, but it lets me really see
everything. I see everyone else (all three of them) get out. It turns out, I
discover when I get home, that one of them was @NikkiCoates*** who did my amazing map, the best way to navigate this blog. I knew she was swimming here this morning,
and I did a little ‘significant look’ at her, but obviously my ‘significant
look’ needs some work or I need to risk social embarrassment and actually say ‘are
you…?’ next time. In the end it’s me and Kate in the water, and in the end end
it’s just Kate.

It lets me
contemplate, too, about what more we want from a pool. And my answer is, nothing. It
is heated, but to 25 degrees which is not unpleasant. It’s 50m, so that gets
the big tick. It doesn’t feel too chloriney. The rain makes the cold
water of Tooting Lido feel very silky and lush and it doesn’t feel that here, so whether that’s
because this is heated (aaaaargh! SCIENCE! HELP!) or is actually entirely in my
mind, I don’t know. The staff are friendly. It is undoubtedly really very
scruffy and run down. But the bit that matters, the pool, is great. Kate and I
agree. I ask @NikkiCoates, and she agrees too, but as the alternatives for her
are Wavelengths and the Arches, I’m not surprised. I know that if this pool
were anywhere more fashionable than Charlton, it would be feted. Better**
promise it’ll be better next year. But honestly, even this year, it’s great. Lucky
Charltonites, get to it. (Just try getting to it without needing a wee, if
things like dry loo roll are important to you.)

*She’s not
actually ‘from’ Tooting Lido in the way that phrase might lead one to believe.
She’s ‘from’ elsewhere. I merely know her ‘from’ there. Why the fuck am I doing this
long winded explanation? Where the hell is a decent editor when one needs one?

** I know it’s
confusing, having a comparative adverb as a company name. But I wasn’t in
charge of this particular bit of branding, so meh.

*** If you're not on Twitter, using @ in front of a person's name might look odd. It's her Twitter name. Go on Twitter, you'll understand.

6 comments:

I used to live in Charlton until a couple of years ago, until it just got too damn depressing. However, one of the highlights was the lido which reopened when we lived there,and everyone was happy in the water there, and people from all backgrounds revelled in the refreshing waters. But word got around some troublesome locals trashed it again pretty quickly apparently, so it was closed again ruining the run for everyone. Delighted to see it has reopened, and apparently is staying open all year round, which is great news. Also, been given the tip to book online as it is cheaper. Hope Charlton looks after its sapphire gem this time. And as I still live just a few miles away, I will certainly be checking it out. However, with Brockwell Lido also just up the road, it will take some beating (although this does close in winter of course)

I've been swimming at Charlton lido 2 or 3 times a week since it reopened, and it's great. The facilities are basic, but the pool itself is fantastic - and that's the bit that matters. Heated to the perfect temperature too, ie enough to take the cold edge, but cool enough to discourage people from standing around in the pool getting in everyone's way.

The online booking process is pretty hopeless - much easier to pay in cash when you get there, or get a Swim London monthly card.

Great pool. Very friendly staff. Only discovered this little gem yesterday. Why oh why isn't this place better known. Went back today,they even let you take your bike in(not the pool). Hot showers decent. You need a 20p piece for the lockers. Use it don't lose it!